Post by Arnold Colston-Westbrook on Mar 25, 2023 15:41:13 GMT
The Tribes of Anlund
Population
Anlund is a region primarily inhabited by Hobgoblins, who number roughly 1,300,000. Hobgoblins are humanoid creatures standing on average 5’3”, though can be as large as 6’ in rare circumstances, with reddish-brown skin, dark coloured hair, and flat, broad noses. Hobgoblins are omnivorous, though prefer meat over fruits/grains if it is available.
Hobgoblins have a similar, if not identical natural lifespan to that of humans, though Hobgoblins have a higher resistance to diseases than humans which gives them a technically higher average lifespan. Hobgoblin children are born in groups of usually between two and three, though quadruplets and quintuplets are not unheard of. As a consequence, Hobgoblin infants are smaller and more fragile than their human counterparts immediately after birth, and it is not uncommon in the cases for at least one of the newborns to die within two months of their birth, especially in the cases of larger than average litters. However Hobgoblin infants quickly grow in size to be in-line with human infants, matching in development in between 4-6 months, and by that time infant deaths have declined precipitously. This rapid growth can put a strain on the mother to the point of exhaustion, so it is common for Hobgoblin infants to be communally raised during infancy.
Hobgoblins are excellent sprinters, with an average Hobgoblin capable of sprinting eight hundred (800) metres in less than two minutes, though much above this distance a Hobgoblin will rapidly tire. Hobgoblins also tend to be slightly stronger than an average human because of their bulk, but the upper ranges of strength for both tend to be similar.
Hobgoblins fear and avoid the ocean due to the abundance of large and deadly creatures which inhabit the waters off Anlund. Very few Hobgoblin settlements are near the ocean, and those that are on the coast are generally small trading towns, or seasonal settlements.
The Environment of Anlund
Anlund itself is a fairly flat, temperate region, with relatively stable, though cool temperatures year round, with crops capable of being grown year round in certain areas. The climate is extremely tame and predictable, with minimal yearly variation in temperature or rainfall. Rain is a constant occurrence along the north-east coast of Anlund, with clouds almost constantly depositing a light rain during all months, with only a slight reprieve during summer, though by no account is summer a ‘dry season’. Due to the abundance of rain, the north-east coast is dominated by a mix of broadleaf and coniferous trees in vast forests, interspersed with small patches of grasslands. It is here that crops can be reliably grown in the winter.
As you travel south-west, the levels of precipitation rapidly begin to decrease, with the broadleaf and coniferous forests rapidly giving way to deciduous forests. The temperature during winter also decreases when compared to the coast, with temperatures approaching 0°C. The inland edges of Anlund are dominated by prairies, flat grasslands with a similar temperature range to the aforementioned deciduous forests, but which lack the required precipitation for forests to emerge.
Society in and Prominent Tribes of Anlund
The lands of Anlund are fractured into dozens of independent tribes, clans, and other groups, most of which are either fully or semi-nomadic. What few permanent settlements that exist are either trading posts, shrines, or mining/smithing operations.
Listed here are some of the most important tribes, though in no way is this an exhaustive list.
The most settled people are the Parisi, who inhabit the northern coastal fringes of Anlund. The Parisi have enthusiastically embraced agriculture, which has led to the vast majority of their clan to settle in a number of small villages and ‘fortified’ settlements, the largest and most important of which being Petuara. The Parisi are also one of the most prolific traders in Anlund, with their settlements lying predominantly on flat, low lying areas close to the coast, while most other tribes live on the plateau above. Despite their settled nature, the Parisi are of small numbers and of little importance.
Just inland of the Parisi lies the Tertowerdi. The Tertowerdi are a mix of settled and semi-nomads, with most of the tribe leaving the towns during the late autumn and winter, and returning for the spring and summer farming seasons. Most Tertowerdi settlements play a dual role with extensive mining operations. However, the output of these primitive mines fluctuates with the coming and going of the seasons, with many of the workers returning to their farms during the summer months. Despite this, the Tertowerdi produce the majority of the iron, copper, and other metals used by the tribes of Anlund.
The Etravisci inhabit the western fringe of Anlund and are an almost entirely nomadic people. The lands of the Etravisci are the most flat and barren in Anlund proper, being almost entirely prairie like grasslands. This has forced the Etravisci into a strictly herding lifestyle, with the raising of their herds of deer, reindeer or Aurochs. The Etravisci are also some of the most prolific raiders of all the tribes, frequently raiding the lands of their neighbours, and even going on expeditions west to attack the settled peoples there. The Etravisci are also skilled horsemen, far more so than the other major tribes, due to the terrain.
The last two major tribes are the Norici and the Trocimi. The Norici, like the Etravisci are a nomadic people devoted to caring for their herds. However, Etravisci raids have caused the Norici to largely retreat into the more inhospitable regions of their range, only venturing out for short periods. This is, however, a recent development, with prior generations capable of holding their own against Etravisci raids. It was a crushing defeat at the hands of a large raiding party which led to the destruction of an entire subtribe of the Norici which has fractured their people, and sapped their ability to stand against the Etravisci on an equal footing.
The Trocimi by contrast are in a golden age for their people. Once a minor tribe on the fringes of the eastern coast, they usurped power from their former overlords, the Daguteni. The Trocimi are slowly becoming a more settled people, having now moved into an area which is more conducive for that sort of lifestyle, and are currently the most powerful tribe in Anlund, ruling over several smaller tribes as their suzerain.
Population
Anlund is a region primarily inhabited by Hobgoblins, who number roughly 1,300,000. Hobgoblins are humanoid creatures standing on average 5’3”, though can be as large as 6’ in rare circumstances, with reddish-brown skin, dark coloured hair, and flat, broad noses. Hobgoblins are omnivorous, though prefer meat over fruits/grains if it is available.
Hobgoblins have a similar, if not identical natural lifespan to that of humans, though Hobgoblins have a higher resistance to diseases than humans which gives them a technically higher average lifespan. Hobgoblin children are born in groups of usually between two and three, though quadruplets and quintuplets are not unheard of. As a consequence, Hobgoblin infants are smaller and more fragile than their human counterparts immediately after birth, and it is not uncommon in the cases for at least one of the newborns to die within two months of their birth, especially in the cases of larger than average litters. However Hobgoblin infants quickly grow in size to be in-line with human infants, matching in development in between 4-6 months, and by that time infant deaths have declined precipitously. This rapid growth can put a strain on the mother to the point of exhaustion, so it is common for Hobgoblin infants to be communally raised during infancy.
Hobgoblins are excellent sprinters, with an average Hobgoblin capable of sprinting eight hundred (800) metres in less than two minutes, though much above this distance a Hobgoblin will rapidly tire. Hobgoblins also tend to be slightly stronger than an average human because of their bulk, but the upper ranges of strength for both tend to be similar.
Hobgoblins fear and avoid the ocean due to the abundance of large and deadly creatures which inhabit the waters off Anlund. Very few Hobgoblin settlements are near the ocean, and those that are on the coast are generally small trading towns, or seasonal settlements.
The Environment of Anlund
Anlund itself is a fairly flat, temperate region, with relatively stable, though cool temperatures year round, with crops capable of being grown year round in certain areas. The climate is extremely tame and predictable, with minimal yearly variation in temperature or rainfall. Rain is a constant occurrence along the north-east coast of Anlund, with clouds almost constantly depositing a light rain during all months, with only a slight reprieve during summer, though by no account is summer a ‘dry season’. Due to the abundance of rain, the north-east coast is dominated by a mix of broadleaf and coniferous trees in vast forests, interspersed with small patches of grasslands. It is here that crops can be reliably grown in the winter.
As you travel south-west, the levels of precipitation rapidly begin to decrease, with the broadleaf and coniferous forests rapidly giving way to deciduous forests. The temperature during winter also decreases when compared to the coast, with temperatures approaching 0°C. The inland edges of Anlund are dominated by prairies, flat grasslands with a similar temperature range to the aforementioned deciduous forests, but which lack the required precipitation for forests to emerge.
Society in and Prominent Tribes of Anlund
The lands of Anlund are fractured into dozens of independent tribes, clans, and other groups, most of which are either fully or semi-nomadic. What few permanent settlements that exist are either trading posts, shrines, or mining/smithing operations.
Listed here are some of the most important tribes, though in no way is this an exhaustive list.
The most settled people are the Parisi, who inhabit the northern coastal fringes of Anlund. The Parisi have enthusiastically embraced agriculture, which has led to the vast majority of their clan to settle in a number of small villages and ‘fortified’ settlements, the largest and most important of which being Petuara. The Parisi are also one of the most prolific traders in Anlund, with their settlements lying predominantly on flat, low lying areas close to the coast, while most other tribes live on the plateau above. Despite their settled nature, the Parisi are of small numbers and of little importance.
Just inland of the Parisi lies the Tertowerdi. The Tertowerdi are a mix of settled and semi-nomads, with most of the tribe leaving the towns during the late autumn and winter, and returning for the spring and summer farming seasons. Most Tertowerdi settlements play a dual role with extensive mining operations. However, the output of these primitive mines fluctuates with the coming and going of the seasons, with many of the workers returning to their farms during the summer months. Despite this, the Tertowerdi produce the majority of the iron, copper, and other metals used by the tribes of Anlund.
The Etravisci inhabit the western fringe of Anlund and are an almost entirely nomadic people. The lands of the Etravisci are the most flat and barren in Anlund proper, being almost entirely prairie like grasslands. This has forced the Etravisci into a strictly herding lifestyle, with the raising of their herds of deer, reindeer or Aurochs. The Etravisci are also some of the most prolific raiders of all the tribes, frequently raiding the lands of their neighbours, and even going on expeditions west to attack the settled peoples there. The Etravisci are also skilled horsemen, far more so than the other major tribes, due to the terrain.
The last two major tribes are the Norici and the Trocimi. The Norici, like the Etravisci are a nomadic people devoted to caring for their herds. However, Etravisci raids have caused the Norici to largely retreat into the more inhospitable regions of their range, only venturing out for short periods. This is, however, a recent development, with prior generations capable of holding their own against Etravisci raids. It was a crushing defeat at the hands of a large raiding party which led to the destruction of an entire subtribe of the Norici which has fractured their people, and sapped their ability to stand against the Etravisci on an equal footing.
The Trocimi by contrast are in a golden age for their people. Once a minor tribe on the fringes of the eastern coast, they usurped power from their former overlords, the Daguteni. The Trocimi are slowly becoming a more settled people, having now moved into an area which is more conducive for that sort of lifestyle, and are currently the most powerful tribe in Anlund, ruling over several smaller tribes as their suzerain.